When
by CeliaEquus
Summary: Set almost five years after "Why". Severus has been forced by the headmaster to have his teeth checked. It's only natural that he should meet the 'tooth fairy'. Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with Harry Potter, and am making no money from this.


"When"

He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't blasted well believe it. Why was he here? What had he done to deserve this?

It was all Albus' fault. Insisting that Severus get his teeth seen to. Well, said Severus Snape was unhappy. And now he was sitting in a dentist's chair, while this Dr. Granger, whose wife was also a dentist, tended to him. When he thought of the name 'Granger', all he could think about was Hermione Granger, his former student. At the moment, the dentist was looking at Severus' teeth, and was tutting every so often.

"When was the last time you saw a dentist?" Dr. Granger asked. Severus glared at him, and he took the hint. He removed the tools, allowing his patient to speak.

"I've never seen a dentist before," the potions master said.

"Ah. Well, then, better take an x-ray, as no doubt you'll require some fillings."

"W-what? I'm not letting you…"

"Oh, don't behave like a child," Dr. Granger admonished. Severus merely clamped his mouth shut, looking with disdain at the machine that the doctor was trying to force on him. He kept a hateful glare plastered on his face, and Dr. Granger sighed. He pulled the machine away, but Severus remained tense. "Well, I see you're going to be stubborn about this. If you want your teeth to be fixed, you're going to have to open your mouth sometime."

The reluctant patient mumbled something. Dr. Granger tilted his head, looking confused. Turning his head away, Severus spoke clearly. "I didn't want to get my teeth fixed."

"Well, too late for that," the dentist replied. But Severus' jaw was again locked in place, and he refused to open up. His glare could have burned holes in the opposite wall. The doctor stood up, and thought for a moment. A wicked smile came to his face. "Well, clearly you _do_ intend to act like a child. Fortunately for you, we have a solution." Severus raised an eyebrow, as if to say 'Do your worst'. He'd faced the Dark Lord on an 'off' day. How bad could it be? "Very well. Excuse me a moment."

He poked his head through one of the doors, and Severus heard him call for the 'tooth fairy'. What on earth…

"I didn't know we had any children until this afternoon," he heard a familiar voice ask quietly. Where had he heard it before?

"This one is a grown-up child," Dr. Granger said, sounding far tooamused. Severus rolled his eyes, but they snapped to the doorway again, curious to see just who this 'tooth fairy' was.

A young woman with brown, bushy hair stepped into the room. When their eyes met, both their jaws dropped.

"P-professor Snape!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Of _course_," he murmured, everything clicking into place. "Miss Hermione Granger. Fancy seeing you here."

"Why are _you_ here?" she asked, drawing up a seat beside the chair. Severus eyed her outfit. It had been three years since he had last seen her, when she had graduated after receiving the highest NEWT results since his day. And here she was… dressed in a light green tutu with matching green netting, and green wings. She wore silky white stockings, white high heels, and held a magic white stick with a star on the end. Presumably, it was supposed to be a wand. Why was she working for her parents?

"Albus sent me to get my teeth checked," he said, and he grimaced. Hermione smiled, and he noticed that the light reflected off the glitter that adorned her cheeks.

"What did you do to annoy him?" she asked cheekily, and he smirked at that. Just as he opened his mouth to reply, Dr. Granger took advantage by thrusting the piece of dental paper in between Severus' jaws. He clamped down in surprise.

"That's right," Dr. Granger said. "Just wriggle your teeth about on that, hmm?"

"Now, Mr. Snape needs to make another appointment," Hermione told the receptionist afterwards. Thanks to his natural resistance to tooth decay as a wizard, it was only a follow-up appointment for another clean. "Six months from now. When's a good day for you, Mr. Snape?" she asked Severus, smiling up at him saucily. He blinked, remembering the time she helped him test his improved Polyjuice Potion. She certainly had grown up… and out, judging by what he saw near the top of the outfit. "Mr. Snape?"

"Uh… sometime during the school holidays," he mumbled, and they settled on a good time for him to have his next check-up.

What the hell? he thought.

"M-miss Granger?" he said, and she looked up at him, smiling again.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I… Will you have dinner with me? Tonight? At the Leaky Cauldron?" He mentally kicked himself in the head, but maintained a stoic expression.

Hermione fought a brief internal battle. Finally, she smiled, and asked one question.

"When?"

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Okay. This is for those who wanted a follow-up story from "Why". I have three more planned after this, so I hope you approve of them, and this one. Read and review, if you please! "Where", "What", and "Who" will follow.


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